Patents Examined by Kevin Myhre
  • Patent number: 8615346
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a blocking member (11) of a functional component (30), particularly of a steering column (30) of a motor vehicle, particularly of a motorcycle, having a drive (20) by which the blocking member (11) can be moved into a locking position (1) and into an unlocking position (2) and vice versa, wherein the blocking member (11) engages mechanically with the functional component (30) when in the locking position (1), releases from the functional component (30) when in the unlocking position (2), and the locking process is started via a defined triggering action on the part of the operator, the blocking member (11) being moved from the unlocking position (2) into the locking position (1) during said locking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Monig, Dirk Wittwer, Armin Geurden, Jorg Simon, Mirko Schindler, Matthias Klein, Joachim Schneider
  • Patent number: 8606445
    Abstract: An information control device for an electric vehicle including a vehicle-mounted battery that is charged with electric power supplied from a power supply provided at an outside of the vehicle includes a lock operation detector, a remaining power detector, and a notification controller. The lock operation detector is configured to detect a lock operation of a door lock mechanism of the vehicle. The remaining power detector is configured to detect a remaining power amount of the vehicle-mounted battery. The notification controller is configured to control a notifying device to make a notification to the outside of the vehicle. The notification is indicative of information that recommends power charge of the vehicle-mounted battery if the remaining power amount is small when the door lock mechanism has been locked or is to be locked, based on detection results of the lock operation detector and the remaining power detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yaguchi, Mamiko Shinomiya, Masaaki Kaizuka, Masakatsu Honda, Masato Fujioka, Kunio Noguchi, Satoru Adachi
  • Patent number: 8543310
    Abstract: A method for operating an automatic speed control system of an automotive vehicle. Initially, in a normal follow mode, a setpoint distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle is set to a first value d1, and a setpoint vehicle acceleration is into a first value a1. Upon detection of an intention of the vehicle driver to overtake the preceding vehicle (such as switching on a turn indicator), the setpoint distance is reset to a second value d2 that is smaller than d1. The setpoint acceleration may be reset to a second value a2 greater than a1 simultaneously, or the second value a2 may be set upon detection of initiation of a lane change into an overtaking lane (such as turning a steering wheel). The method assists the driver during the execution of an overtaking process, and a safer, more comfortable and free-flowing sequence of the overtaking process is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amin Kashi, Anders Grauers, Pradeep Nold, Stefan Kappes, Maciej Bak
  • Patent number: 8527161
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a control circuit for a vehicle transmission cooling system having a controller configured to control an air compressor to selectively pressurize a transmission clutch housing and provide air to an alternative vehicle subsystem (or subsystems).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Reid Alan Baldwin, John Edward Brevick
  • Patent number: 8527144
    Abstract: An in-vehicle apparatus changes icon appearance of gadget-associated icons according to travel impediment information associated with respective gadgets during the travel of a vehicle. The icon appearance has an improved recognizability if the icon is associated with a gadget that does not impede the travel of the vehicle, or has a worsened recognizability if the icon is associated with a gadget that impedes the travel of the vehicle. As a result, the in-vehicle apparatus allows a user to easily recognize whether a gadget-associated icon has impeding operation steps or non-impeding operation steps for the execution of the respective gadgets, thereby enabling a safer travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoji Oda, Kenji Miyake, Hideo Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 8494720
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle motion stability control system that combines the VSA and RTC devices in a favorable manner, and is able to effectively control the behavior of the vehicle over an entire operating range including an extreme operating region and a normal operating region. An output of the RTC is transformed by a certain transfer function, and the front wheel steering angle ?f inputted to the actual vehicle model for the first control device (VSA) is modified according to the output of the transfer function. It means that the input front wheel steering angle is modified according to the thrust angle or toe angle of the RTC. Thereby, a harmonized control of the VSA and RTC is enabled, and such a harmonized combination can be effected without making changes to the structure of an existing VSA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Horiuchi, Takashi Yanagi
  • Patent number: 8447471
    Abstract: In a vehicle driveability control system for determining a control variable that is applied to a vehicle for a given control input including a front wheel steering angle according to a response of a vehicle model (10) to the given input, a parameter of the vehicle model is changed according to an output of a vehicle operator skill determining unit (14). Thereby, the vehicle driveability control system can provide a driving property that suits the driving skill of the particular vehicle operator, and can satisfy vehicle operators of all skill levels. In particular, if the vehicle operator is skilled enough to cope with emergency situations, the vehicle is enabled to respond to a quick input with a high responsiveness. Also, the control system is able to adapt itself to an improvement in the skill of a vehicle operator over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8442711
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle and method of control are associated with the following operation. A quantized previous engine power command based on a previous engine power command is obtained. A current engine power command is quantized. The quantized current engine power command is maintained if the magnitude of the difference between the current engine power command and the quantized previous engine power command is larger than a threshold. The quantized current engine power command is set equal to the quantized previous engine power command if the magnitude of the difference between the current engine power command and the quantized previous engine power command is smaller than the threshold. An output engine power command based on the quantized current engine power command is generated. An engine of the hybrid vehicle is operated based on the output engine power command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fazal Urrahman Syed, Qing Wang, Carol Louise Okubo, Ryan Abraham McGee, Ming Lang Kuang
  • Patent number: 8437957
    Abstract: A method and device checks the conformity of a trajectory calculated by a flight management system of an aircraft in relation to reference data comprising a reference map. The method includes: geo-referencing of a reference map; determination of a reference trajectory from the geo-referenced reference map; detection of nonconformity in the trajectory calculated by the flight management system by comparison of the trajectory calculated by the flight management system with the reference trajectory; and emission of a warning if a nonconformity is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: François Coulmeau, Nicolas Marty, Xavier Blanchon, Pierre Gamet
  • Patent number: 8417433
    Abstract: Tuning processes implemented by an auto-tune controller are provided for measuring and adjusting the combustion dynamics and the emission composition of a gas turbine (GT) engine via a tuning process. Initially, the tuning process includes monitoring parameters, such as combustion dynamics and emission composition. Upon determining that one or more of the monitored parameters exceed a critical value, these “out-of-tune” parameters are compared to a scanning order table. Upon comparison, the first out-of-tune parameter that is matched within the scanning order table is addressed. The first out-of-tune parameter is then plotted as overlaid slopes on respective graphs, where the graph represents a fuel-flow split. Typically, the slopes are plotted as a particular out-of-tune parameter against a particular fuel-flow split. The slopes for each graph are considered together by taking into account the combined impact on each out-of-tune parameter when a fuel-flow split is selected for adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Donald Gauthier, Nicolas Demougeot, Peter Stuttaford, Hany Rizkalla
  • Patent number: 8406971
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling an amount of torque generated by an engine of a vehicle. The amount of torque may be controlled by limiting an amount of fuel or air or a combination thereof being provided to the engine. In some situations, controlling the amount of torque generated by the engine may be utilized to gradually limit the vehicle's acceleration, which in turn, may influence driver shifting strategies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Balton, Zachary Slaton, Nathan Paul, Ethan A. Ott
  • Patent number: 8406966
    Abstract: The hitch on a vehicle is moved by a hydraulic actuator. A method for controlling the hydraulic actuator defines a draft force setpoint in response to separately averaging two forces acting on lateral sides of the hitch, while operating in a configuration mode. During regular operation, a draft load is calculated from sensing those two forces and deriving a draft force error from difference between the draft load and the draft force setpoint. The draft force error is used to control fluid flow to and from the hydraulic actuator. One aspect of the control method derates the draft force error as the hitch moves beyond a predefined threshold position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: HUSCO International, Inc.
    Inventors: David James Schedgick, Eric N. Griesbach
  • Patent number: 8392060
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for feedback of states of an electric component to an engine control device of an internal combustion engine using a control unit for the electric component including a detection device configured to detect faults. The method includes configuring the control unit, connecting the control unit to the engine control device via a signal line, receiving a PWM signal generated in the engine control device, tying the signal line to ground for a feedback of data of the electric component to the engine control device; and identifying a fault based on a duration of the connection to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Pierburg GmbH
    Inventors: Waldemar Stephan, Thomas Wienecke, Peter Rechberg, Joachim Mertens, Rainer Strauss
  • Patent number: 8370030
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for automatically adjusting a vehicle feature of a vehicle, where the system includes a first sensor, an onboard computer, a camera, a mirror, a controller; an actuator; and an algorithm. The algorithm instructs the onboard computer in steps for adjusting one or more vehicle features. The first sensor and the controller are in electronic communication with the onboard computer and the controller is in electronic communication with one or more actuators that connect to and adjust the various vehicle features. The onboard computer includes or accesses a database that correlates users, features, and vehicle feature settings. Such vehicle features include seat position and camera viewing angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Inventor: Michael H Gurin
  • Patent number: 8332102
    Abstract: A vehicle safety system for detecting a side impact, the system comprising at least one sensor operable to detect one or more parameters relating to the rate of yaw of the vehicle, and to provide an output that is dependent upon the longitudinal position along the vehicle of the side impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Autoliv Development AB, Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yannick Erb, Yann le Merrer, Sylvain Triquigneaux, Andreas Wallin, Peter Hardå
  • Patent number: 8321091
    Abstract: Provided is a backward motion control technology for a car. The car comprises a backward-motion control terminal, a control signal converter, and a backward-motion controller. The backward-motion control terminal outputs a first backward-motion control signal corresponding to a backward velocity and a backward direction of the last trailer according to a user's operation. The control signal converter converts the first backward-motion control signal to a second backward-motion control signal which corresponds to a backward velocity and a backward direction of the car. The backward-motion controller controls the car based on the second backward-motion control signal so that the last trailer moves backward by the backward velocity and the backward direction corresponding to the first backward-motion controlling signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Korean University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Woo Jin Chung, Kwang Hyun Yoo, Jae Il Roh, Myoung Kuk Park
  • Patent number: 8321089
    Abstract: The vehicle motion control device obtains a physical quantity representing a state of a motion of a vehicle in a direction of a lateral overturn. When the obtained physical quantity is larger than or equal to a motion state threshold and the vehicle motion control device is thereby in an anti-lateral overturn, the vehicle motion control device determines the target slip ratio at a present calculation period based on a largest value of the slip ratio corresponding, according to the predetermined relation between the physical quantity and the slip ratio, to the physical quantity obtained during a time range between the present calculation period and a past time instance when the vehicle motion control device enters the anti-lateral overturn mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Kato
  • Patent number: 8295999
    Abstract: A dual-process system for the automatic generation of railway route-solution candidates and their concomitant movement authorities includes a central authority server that accepts dispatcher-provided start and end point data and time information and executes two different independent routing processes to provide two independently determined route-solution candidates. The two solutions are compared for consistency and, when consistent, the route with the minimum authority grants is selected as the solution for use by the locomotive or train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp.
    Inventors: Blaine R. Groves, Richard A. Allshouse